As BarbaroMania sweeps the nation like a crazy horse tsunami, we pause to pay tribute to our army…
Read more Read more

As BarbaroMania sweeps the nation like a crazy horse tsunami, we pause to pay tribute to our army of commenters, who were in top form on Wednesday. Your messages to Barbaro were, um, at once inspiring and disturbing: "Get up. WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME. — Jack Bauer, 35; Los Angeles, CA, USA, soon to be China."

But as always, truth is weirder than fiction. Following are examples of letters to Barbaro that didn't come from our readers. Just Barbaro fans, as recorded on the University of Pennsylvania Center for Veterinary Medicine message board .

"The 250 word limit kinda sucks. I had written a beautiful 178-word piece, but don't know what to do with it now." — age 37, Seattle, WA.

"Please don't give up. We all love you. What happened to you is a sin. Using you to win money is evil. But your spirit rises above all that. Love Vinnie, Creature, Gus and Craig." — Los Angeles, CA.

"I have never written to a horse before. I wish the best for Barbaro that he may have a happy and comfortable life." — age 59, Sacramento, CA

"Hey Barbaro, I hope that you go back to your ground-breaking cancer research once you're healed up again. I can't even calculate your contribution to our planet." — age 39; Vancouver.

"Barbaro, when you get out there and lay it on those mares, take a video and send it to me. (PS, I like to see you do the white ones.)" — Ron Mexico, 25; Atlanta, GA.

"Stay Strong Barbaro!! I 'shattered' all the bones in my ankle in Aug '05. I was told I'd limp for 6 mos to 1yr, maybe always. By Oct '05 I was back playing tennis, no limp. So there IS hope!" — age 38, Destin, FL.

"Barbaro, you are a horse. You can not read. These will not be read TO you. Nevertheless, show everyone how brave and noble you are for wanting to go out there and start mounting some mares. May your colts have firm and sturdy legs." — age 23, St. Louis.

"Barbaro you have touched all of our hearts and on behalf of my family and the entire Greek-American community here we wish you well." — age 35; Little Neck, NY.

"The country needs you in our time of crisis." — age 60, West Palm Beach, FL.